PS3 to support homebrew

Technical discussion on the newly released and hard to find PS3.

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Son_k
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 6:33 pm

Post by Son_k »

I didnt want to start another thread for this, but it appears Sony does plan to homebrew:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_i ... story=9290

(not sure if you need to register to read the article).

"In an intriguing turn of events, Sony executive Izumi Kawanishi has illuminated some of his company's PlayStation 3 Linux plans, indicating that it will be possible for individual 'homebrew' coders to create playable content for PS3, something actively blocked for Sony's PSP handheld.

In comments made to Japanese game website Impress Watch, and translated by GameSetWatch contributor Shou Suzuki, Kawanishi noted: "Because we have plans for having Linux on board [the PS3], we also recognize Linux programming activities... Other than game studios tied to official developer licenses, we'd like to see various individuals participate in content creation for the PS3."

It seems that Sony is happy to let basic application and game construction take place without access to the extremely sophisticated rendering and physics libraries available to licensors - Kawanishi further commented: "When a game studio enacts development on a PS3 by entering a license contract, SDK libraries... will be presented, and various technical support given. In contrast, when using Linux World on the PS3... support will fall to the lowest level required, and you must solve and work on things by yourselves."

Another source: http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30746


"Since PS3 has Linux installed Linux programming is allowed. License fees are not required for individual developers. Licensed PS3 game developers can get SDK and technical support by SCE, on the other hand in the Linux world they don't have to pay license fee but the support is minimum. In Linux, Cell is under the hardware layer of the OS supervisor, but things inlcuding SPE are expected to be open to developers. But we don't intend to mix the PS3 as a game platform and the PS3 in the Linux world."



Whether this means linux programming out of the box on the PS3 or they plan on producing PS3 Linux Kits is another question. IMO, they plan to releaseing PS3 Linux Kit, and you'll be able to create homebrew and sale it on EDI(after they check your code of course :P ) .
Arwin
Posts: 426
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:00 pm

Post by Arwin »

What I'm guessing it means is that you can only run the games you create under Linux, you cannot create games that can run with the minimum Game OS active. But that is just a very, very wild guess though.
Shapyi
Posts: 95
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:31 am

Post by Shapyi »

It would be great if no special kit was needed to play homebrew apps and games on the PS3. With PS3 being region free, homebrew being supported the only reason for a modchip would be for piracy.

Hopefully more will be revealed on this, I think we need better details before jumping to conclusions. It does look promising. Maybe Sony will let users of the PSP create user mode homebrew.
Chrighton
Posts: 58
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:24 pm

Post by Chrighton »

Shapyi wrote:It would be great if no special kit was needed to play homebrew apps and games on the PS3. With PS3 being region free, homebrew being supported the only reason for a modchip would be for piracy.

Hopefully more will be revealed on this, I think we need better details before jumping to conclusions. It does look promising. Maybe Sony will let users of the PSP create user mode homebrew.
Interview with Izumi Kawanishi (SCEI corporate executive, software platform development division) @ ITmedia (NOTE, this is Japanese):
If users want PSP may support MemStick boot of user application in future.
Arwin
Posts: 426
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:00 pm

Post by Arwin »

I thought that the English translation provided by Jeff Chen from pspupdates was a little clearer:

The PS3 will come standard with a functional Linux Operating System as well as compilers and other tools. This will give a vast playground to all the programmers on the PS3. This means that the PS3 will support all USB drives. Even back in the PlayStation generation, there were a lot of creations by homebrew developers. On the PS3, this will be much more.

If you think of the PS3 as an ecosystem, the game studios will still follow the current routine, to treat the PS3 as a game console, and develop games while paying the license fee. However, in which form can the individual developers participate best in the software development for the PS3?

"To request license fee from the individual developers is a little hard (laughing). When a game studio buys a license to develop for the PS3, SCE side must supply the studio with necessary tools and SDK libraries, as well as all kinds of technical support. Since the PS3 is using Linux, the license fee will not be required for developing on it."

Won't this be a challenge to all the programmers since they won't have any knowledge technical knowledge of the hardware?

"Based on Linux, it is the OS-side hardware layer which is managing the Cell processor related issues, which makes the SPE also opened to the developers. However, I don't think that the PS3 as a game platform business, and the PS3 in the Linux world, will be merged into one."
Son_k
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 6:33 pm

Post by Son_k »

Arwin wrote:I thought that the English translation provided by Jeff Chen from pspupdates was a little clearer:

The PS3 will come standard with a functional Linux Operating System as well as compilers and other tools. This will give a vast playground to all the programmers on the PS3. This means that the PS3 will support all USB drives. Even back in the PlayStation generation, there were a lot of creations by homebrew developers. On the PS3, this will be much more.

If you think of the PS3 as an ecosystem, the game studios will still follow the current routine, to treat the PS3 as a game console, and develop games while paying the license fee. However, in which form can the individual developers participate best in the software development for the PS3?

"To request license fee from the individual developers is a little hard (laughing). When a game studio buys a license to develop for the PS3, SCE side must supply the studio with necessary tools and SDK libraries, as well as all kinds of technical support. Since the PS3 is using Linux, the license fee will not be required for developing on it."

Won't this be a challenge to all the programmers since they won't have any knowledge technical knowledge of the hardware?

"Based on Linux, it is the OS-side hardware layer which is managing the Cell processor related issues, which makes the SPE also opened to the developers. However, I don't think that the PS3 as a game platform business, and the PS3 in the Linux world, will be merged into one."
;) i was about to post this up, indeed its alot clearer. Specifically in that the PS3 Linux OS is different from the PS3 OS. The Linux OS being preinstalled on the HDD with tools and compiles. So it looks like you dont have to buy a special PS3 Linux Kit. Seems like Sony is trying to kick MS in the balls..

I wonder how open the homebrew scene well be on the PS3? thats something we dont know yet. I dont think they are going to limit the hardware access(at least not with RSX and Cell). I also dont doubt that they'll open up homebrew for the PSP after the PS3 lanuchs. It fits into their E-Distribution Initiative perfectly.
Viper8896
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:20 pm

Post by Viper8896 »

even without full hardware access this is gona be so impresive. infact it will make my pc useless. seems like we better get coding any one want resources go here: http://cell.scei.co.jp/
blasty
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:07 am

Post by blasty »

Arwin wrote:What I'm guessing it means is that you can only run the games you create under Linux, you cannot create games that can run with the minimum Game OS active. But that is just a very, very wild guess though.
I think it will work like that, too. So will Linux become the "defacto standard" for the PS3 homebrew community? Or will people attempt to break out of this sandbox ?
Cogboy
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:45 pm

Post by Cogboy »

blasty wrote:Or will people attempt to break out of this sandbox ?
Does that question even need to be asked?
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